Is technology upsetting our work-life balance?

Since we are living in the era of modern technology we have become slaves of our smartphones which makes us be at disposal 24 hours a day. If a few years ago leaving work meant that your work day is over and you can spend the rest of the day with your family, today things seem to be moving in a different direction. So the questions is – is it good that we are always “switched on”, or are we at risk of losing any free time we might have left?

The answer to this question is a bit tricky depending on which side of the fence you are. If you are a business owner than you shouldn’t be surprised to find out that your “switch off” button is broken. Everybody knows that a successful business requires a lot of sacrifice, especially in the personal life. Is that good? How long can a person function in this way?

Statistical Report

According to the research made by Hiscox, 89% of the small business owners like the fact that they are able to use technology at work, 37% believe that it has negative influence on their private life since they are not able to switch off from work, whereas 64% said that they use their smartphones for work even after work hours. 24% of those who participated in the research are agitated when they don’t check their e-mails on regular bases and 85% admit that they check their e-mails even when they are on holiday.

Alan Thomas who works for Hiscox as an insurance expert believes that people nowadays find it normal not to “switch off” after 5 pm. In fact, this type of living has become the new standard for what is normal and people have a tendency of accepting it. The easy access to technology has turned people into experts for handling new inventions on the market, but has completely deprived them from their personal lives and made them be workaholics.

The good thing about this is that those small business owners who really want their businesses to work can take advantage of the benefits that the new technology brings. Many, if not all of them, at the early stages of their business work overtime anyways, so why not use technology to help them alleviate the burden.

Balancing Personal Life and Work

However you should be very careful not to put yourself into a position where both your personal life and your work will suffer. If you dedicate your entire time on work you won’t be so productive because your brain will not be able to generate fresh ideas enabling you to think outside of the box. At the same time your personal life will be in limbo as you will be preoccupied with work.

In concussion the best way to stay on top of the situation is to balance your personal life with the modern technology and find a way to make them both work. What is your view on this? What is the impact that technology has on your life? Are you able to separate your personal life from your work life? What is the secret to your success?